Veteran drummer Louie Bellson is no stranger to Chicago, having played here countless times since his childhood in the Quad Cities.
But his engagement this week at the Jazz Showcase stands out, not simply because of the enduring grace of his work but because of the “little big band” he’s leading.
Large pickup groups that come together for a particular engagement tend to sound rough during at least the first few nights, even when the lineup is as strong as this one. Yet it took just a couple of numbers on Tuesday evening for this septet to find a common approach to rhythm, color, texture and phrasing.
Part of the reason, no doubt, has to do with Bellson’s remarkable depth of ensemble experience. Anyone who has kept time for Duke Ellington, Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman (among others) knows a few things about what makes a large ensemble tick.
In the case of a septet, however, the challenge can be formidable, since each of the individual parts is more exposed than in a bona fide, roaring big band. The slightest rhythmic miscue or tonal imbalance can make a performance sound sloppy.
Somehow, though, Bellson has managed to draw exquisite ensemble playing from this septet, without sacrificing the spontaneity and rhythmic freedom required of any swing band worthy of the name.
Uninterested in taking lengthy or flamboyant solos for their own sake, Bellson concentrated instead on making this band cohere as a whole. With a light touch and lithe approach to rhythm, Bellson ticked off elegant backbeats, while his reeds (tenor saxophonist Frank Catalano and alto saxophonist Eric Schneider) and brass (trombonist Tim Coffman and trumpeter Art Hoyle) produced utterly transparent textures.
The horns’ coy phrasings in music from the Count Basie book and their stop-on-a-dime precision in Bellson’s showpieces drew richly deserved ovations. Throughout, one marveled at the acuity with which these players listened to one another, blending colors without sacrificing the unique voice of each instrument.
The solos, too, proved persuasive, with Hoyle turning in poetic work playing fluegelhorn in ballads, and trombonist Catalano blending easy virtuosity with warm melodicism.
At the heart of all this music, of course, was Bellson, who says more with a couple of delicate brush strokes than many drummers can with an avalanche of sound. Further, his ability to find the right tempo and rhythmic groove for ballads, blues and uptempo pieces helped this ensemble maximize its impact.
With bassist Larry Gray and pianist Larry Novak rounding out the rhythm section, how could Bellson miss?
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Louie Bellson plays through Sunday at the Jazz Showcase, 59 W. Grand Ave. Phone 312-670-BIRD.
